


between the moon and the tide

by thesetemplebones



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 17:10:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11384670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesetemplebones/pseuds/thesetemplebones
Summary: It was more than just coincidence that Abigail Ashe was once again in the company of Billy Bones.





	between the moon and the tide

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoy it. :)

__**Blind to the purpose of the brute divine**  
But you were mine  
Better Love- Hozier 

 

****

**I** t had become a custom for Abigail to travel to Eastbourne in the past few years and visit the ocean. Sometimes she would walk the length of the beach and collect sea shells. Other times she would stand in the water and look out beyond the sea, as if she were watching out on the horizon for something or someone in particular. Perhaps one day she would be able to visit the ocean without thinking about her past.

As she stood knee deep in the water, her shoes laid forgotten in the sand and her dress bunched up in her hands, Abigail watched as storm clouds rolled in upon the horizon. It seemed that in a matter of minutes the once bright blue skies were swallowed up by dark gray clouds.

“You’re going to be swept out to sea if ya keep standing there, ma’am.”

“I’ll be fine,” she answered just as a wave crashed against her legs nearly sending her backwards.

“All the same, I don’t think I have enough strength to be able to swim out and save ya.”

Abigail smiled, “are you sure it’s not just because you don’t feel like getting wet?”

A brief moment of silence.

“That too.”

Abigail laughed gently and made her way back with the bottom of her dress becoming soaked by the time she made it back to shore. She gave Mr. O’Connor, her groundskeeper and traveling escort, a grateful smile as he handed her shoes to her. He was an older Irishman that had been in her service for the past 8 years and she had come to care for him dearly. Despite his smoking and drinking, he had a refreshing bluntness to him that Abigail had come to like. After years of being told half-truths, she liked that she knew where Mr. O’Connor stood at all times.

“Do you think it’ll be a bad storm?”

Mr. O’Connor looked up at the sky before he nodded, “it won’t be pleasant. We should think about heading home soon.”

“We’ll need to stop at the fabric store on our way back,” Abigail brushed the remaining sand off of her dress before she looked back at him. “I won’t be long.”

As the daughter of the late Peter Ashe, Abigail had become use to being stared at wherever she went. So, when she arrived in town, she ignored the whispers and looks that were shot her way. She could only imagine what was being said about her. _Do you see how soaked her dress is? She must have been in the ocean again._

_Yes, that’s Abigail Ashe. The very one who was captured by pirates._

_She’s a pirate sympathizer you know._

Her reputation had long since been tarnished and she had lived as an outcast from society for so long that she didn’t mind coming into town once in a while. Quite frankly, she didn’t give a damn about what they said anymore.

As she exited the fabric shop, Abigail was nearly run down by a bunch of boys who ran past her in a hurry. She turned and looked down the street behind her where a crowd of people gathered to watch as three men brawled outside of the tavern. Curiosity got the better of her and she walked down the street to see.

“Don’t show your face in this tavern again or else we’ll do more than just beat you,” one man said as he and his friend kicked a man on the ground.

As the crowd began to part and Abigail was able to see the man on the ground she nearly had a heart attack.

“Dear Lord,” she gasped.

There bruised and battered crumpled against the tavern wall was the one and only Billy Bones.

“A friend of yours?” Mr. O’Connor had joined her.

Abigail knelt to the ground and cupped one side of his face gently. She would recognize him anywhere. “Help me get him into the carriage.”

Mr. O’Connor looked between her and Billy for a moment before he knelt down on Billy’s left side while Abigail had his right and hauled the large man up off the ground and into the carriage.

The whispers of the towns people nearly became shouts and from the corner of her eye she was sure she saw one woman make the sign of the cross.

* * *

 

It was more than just coincidence that Abigail Ashe was once again in the company of Billy Bones.

Once they had made it back to the manor in Heathfield, Abigail had Mr. O’Connor help her bring him inside and up the stairs to one of the empty rooms. Helen, her maid and companion had nearly had a fatal when they barged through the front door with him half-conscious between them. That had been three days ago and Abigail hadn’t left his side once.

_Your friend has made a habit of getting his arse kicked by the looks of his scars_ Mr. O’Connor had said.

Not once in the past 11 years since she had last seen him did she not think about the gentle pirate. Billy Bones had been a constant in her mind and many times in her dreams. She didn’t believe that she would ever see him again and now that he was here, in her home, she didn’t know what to do with herself.

Abigail was pulled by her thoughts by a groan and she looked down to see that Billy had begun to stir. She rose from her place in a chair by the bed and gently dapped at his forehead with a cold wet cloth. “Mr. Bones?”

A range of emotions flickered in his eyes when Billy did finally come to. Anger, confusion, surprise and was that relief?

“What the fuck?” Billy blinked a few times. “WHAT THE FUCK?”

When he tried to sit up he groaned and fell back against the pillows. Abigail placed her hand on his chest when he tried to sit up again. “You’ve been out for the past three days and considering that you were beaten severely, I wouldn’t try to get up.”

Billy shook his head, “what the fuck?”

“Do you remember being at Hadley’s Tavern?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I saw the end of the fight that you were in the middle of with two men and I recognized you when you were passed out on the ground. I brought you back here.”

“Here?” Billy questioned.

Abigail nodded, “my home.”

“YOUR home?”

Abigail nodded again. She could see the questions swirling in his blue eyes as he took in his surroundings. He looked down and noticed that he didn’t have a shirt on and that his stomach was wrapped in a bandage. She flushed when she saw that her hand was still on his bare chest and pulled back quickly.

Billy’s eyes settled back on her, “are we still in Eastbourne?”

Abigail shook her head, “Heathfield.”

“Heathfield?” Billy raised an eyebrow.

“I enjoy the quiet of the countryside,” Abigail smiled.

Billy smiled a little and she put the cloth back into the bowl of cold water that sat on the bedside table. She then poured him a glass of water. “May I?”

Billy nodded; she leaned forward and cupped the back of his neck gently, “small sips.”

It took all of her will power to not flush as he held her gaze as he drank and she was quick to place the cup back on the table.

“Are you hungry?” Abigail asked.

Billy shook his head, “you don’t have to feed me, Miss Ashe. I’ve burdened you enough already.”

“It’s Abigail and you’re not a burden, Mr. Bones. You must eat something or else you’ll end up in worse condition than you are.” She walked around the bed and was almost to the door when Billy’s voice stopped her.

“Billy.”

She looked back at him, “sorry?”

“If I’m to call you Abigail,” his expression soft, “than you must call me Billy.”

Abigail smiled at him before she left the room.

As she made her way to the stairs she was surprised to see Helen at the bottom. “I take it he’s awakened then?”

“Yes,” Abigail answered as she descended. “Could you make him up some soup, please?”

“It’s already brewing.”

“Thank you,” Abigail made her way into the kitchen and grabbed the loaf of bread off the counter and cut a piece of it off for Billy.

“He’s one of them isn’t he,” Helen stated. “One of the pirates.”

“Yes.”

“And you brought him back here?” She stood at the edge of the counter and stared at Abigail in disbelief.

Abigail glanced up at her before looking away, “Helen. No harm will come to us.”

“How do you know?”

“Billy wouldn’t harm me.”

Helen raised an eyebrow, “you know his name?”

“He was one of Captain Flint’s men and he didn’t lay a hand on me back then.”

“It’s been over a decade since you were on the pirate ship,” Helen argued. “You don’t know what that man’s like now!”

Abigail shook her head. She was well aware that many years had passed since their last meeting, that they both were not the same people they once were. She did however, know without a doubt that Billy wouldn’t lay a hand on her.

“If you could please bring the soup up when it’s done, I would appreciate it.” Abigail brushed past the other woman without looking at her.

When she re-entered the room she wasn’t that surprised to see Billy sitting all the way up in bed. She would have been naïve to think that a man such as Billy would be down for long. When he looked her way she offered him a smile as she held up the plate, “I brought you some bread as you wait for the soup. Helen will bring it up when it’s done.”

“Helen?”

Abigail rounded the side of the bed and handed him the plate. “My maid and companion.” She laughed and shook her head, “more of my companion really.”

“Was she the one who helped you get me into the carriage?” Billy smirked as he took a bite out of the bread.

“No,” she shook her head as she sat in the chair once more. “Mr. O’Connor assisted in getting you into the carriage.”

“Ah, another companion?” Billy teased.

Abigail blushed and shook her head, “groundskeeper.”

“What? No husband?”

Abigail’s smile went away as her shoulders slumped and she looked down at her hands. “Not since he passed three years ago.”

“Shit,” Billy sighed. “Abigail, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Widowhood has agreed with me,” she halfheartedly joked.

“I’m still an ass.”

Abigail straightened in the chair and looked him square in the eyes, “even if he were still alive, I would have brought you home.”

Billy stared at her amused.

Before either of them could say a word, Helen entered without knocking. She offered Billy a quick glance before she walked around to Abigail’s side and handed her the bowl of soup.

“Thank you, Helen,” she smiled as she took the bowl and placed it beside the water bowl. “Billy, this is Helen and she makes the best soup I’ve ever tasted.”

Billy quirked an eyebrow, “oh?”

“I have a few secret ingredients,” Helen answered.

“One of it poison?” He asked as he cast a glance to the bowl and back at her.

Helen shrugged, her face serious, “perhaps.”

“Helen,” Abigail shook her head and looked at him. “It’s not poisoned.” She looked back at the other woman, “where’s Mr. O’Connor?”

“Up to no good, as usual,” Helen frowned.

“Well could you inform him that there’s soup to eat and that our guest has awoken?”

Helen paused and cast a hard look at the man in the bed, before she nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her with force. Abigail stared after the woman and sighed.

“I think she likes me,” Billy said.

“Helen is…”, she paused trying to find the right word, “ _protective_ of me.”

“I can see that,” Billy said as he reached out and carefully took the bowl of soup into his hands. His eyes slipped closed as he ate a spoonful. “Oh, this is delicious.”

Abigail smiled, “it’s one of her soups that she makes after Mr. O’Connor’s had a hard night of drinking.”

“She has a special soup for hangovers?”

“I have discovered over the years that she has a special soup for every occasion.”

Billy nodded his head, “could have used this soup back in Nassau.”

Abigail chuckled, she agreed with him completely. She imagined that many of the men would have appreciated it. After letting Billy eat most of his soup, glad to see that he had an appetite and trying to decide on which question, out of the many she had, to ask; she took a deep breath as she folded her hands and placed them in her lap. “Billy, excuse me if I’m prying, but what brought you to Eastbourne?”

“Don’t you mean what brought me to the tavern and why were the men giving me a beating?”

Abigail bit her bottom lip, “well, yes.”

He sighed and placed the bowl in his lap and stared at it for a moment. Abigail studied him; his hair wasn’t cropped short like it was when she had met him. She already knew that his hair was soft because she ran her fingers through it after calming him back to sleep when he had a nightmare. His face was weather worn and showed that the past years had been hard, while his blue eyes had lost some of their shine. Overall, the man looked completely exhausted and much older than he was.

“You don’t have to tell me,” her voice was soft, “I apologize if I brought up any bad memories.”

“I was at the tavern to forget the bad memories in all honesty.” He looked up at her. “It’s been a long time, Abigail.”

She nodded, “It has been a long time.” Without thinking she spoke, “for what it’s worth, I am glad that you’re here.” Billy’s eyes widened in surprise, she looked away and fiddled with her hands, “although I wish you weren’t in bed beaten.”

Billy laughed, “I wish that too.”

She looked up at him and was stunned to find him staring directly at her. “Would it be rude of me to say that I don’t wish to talk about my past right now?”

“No Billy,” she gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’s not rude at all.”

* * *

 

Abigail had left Billy to get more rest and made her way down the hall to her own bedroom. When she closed the door behind her, she leaned back against it and closed her eyes. She gave herself a moment to absorb everything that occurred over the past few days, a moment to breathe.

Billy Bones was in her house. Billy Bones was in her house and only a few feet away from her, laying injured in a bed half naked. Her heartbeat began to increase and she moved away from the door, as if it had somehow burned her. If someone had told Abigail that she would once again be in the company of a pirate she would have laughed. If someone had told her that the pirate in question would be Billy, she would have said impossible.

She hadn’t dared herself to hope to see him again, not seriously anyway. He was a daydream to her; the brief time spent with him on the ship a pleasant memory to escape to when her current life became too much. Abigail cast a look over her shoulder before she sat on the cushioned bench at the bay window that overlooked the backyard.

Abigail hadn’t given much thought than beyond making sure that Billy was nursed back to good health. It had broken her heart when Billy tossed and turned and cried out in a fit of nightmares. Had life been so cruel to him?

She reached up with her right hand and rubbed at her chest. She had seen how exhausted Billy was and he all but admitted a few moments ago that he hadn’t had peace in quite some time. Abigail wasn’t sure about the future but she knew that she wanted Billy to remain here. If only for him to rest, to give him some peace.

It was later at dinner when the topic of the future came up. Since the passing of her late husband, Abigail had gotten rid of the long wooden dining table and replaced it with a more modest dining table that didn’t take up so much space. She had also made it a rule that both Mr. O’Connor and Helen dinned with her.

“How long do you plan on having Billy stay here?”

Mr. O’Connor dropped his fork from his hand, “Christ, Helen, the lad just woke up!”

Helen frowned and Abigail glanced at the other woman and then back at her plate, “I don’t quite know.”

“You don’t know?” Helen questioned as Mr. O’Connor eyed her.

Abigail nodded, “yes. It all depends on how long he wants to stay.”

“What?” Helen gasped as Mr. O’Connor held up his mug of ale and shot her a smug smile from across the table.

“Helen,” she placed her fork and knife down and stared at the other woman with determined eyes. “Billy is allowed to remain here for as long as he likes.”

“Abigail-“

“I will not turn someone away who’s in desperate need of rest from the world.”

Helen closed her mouth and sat back in her chair. Abigail could feel the tension rolling off

of her in waves but she had already made her mind up. She was not going to be swayed, even if Helen was unhappy with said decision.

Mr. O’Connor took another sip of his ale, “it would be nice to have another man around.” He gave Abigail a half smile, “no offense, ma’am.”

She smiled back at him as Helen scoffed. She leaned forward in her chair and looked at Abigail, “he’s a _pirate_.”

“If he weren’t would you be more inclined to having him stay?” Abigail raised an eyebrow at her. “I understand your concerns,” she reached out and gave Helen’s hand a gentle squeeze, “but trust me when I say, Billy will not harm us.” She glanced over at Mr. O’Connor and then back at Helen, “we are safe.”

Helen sighed and nodded. Abigail squeezed her hand once more before she pulled away and took a sip of her wine. “That pirate is more of a gentleman than most men that claim to be noble,” she took another sip, “my own husband included.”

Abigail didn’t need to look up from her plate to know that both Helen and Mr. O’Connor were looking at her with concern and pity. Neither of them could argue with that, not even Helen.

“Do you think he’ll help me with work around here?” Mr. O’Connor asked.

Abigail nodded, “without a doubt.”

It would be another two days before Billy was up and able to move about. Abigail had to convince Billy that he was more than welcome to stay for as long as he liked and just shy of begging, she told him that it would be a great help to have another pair of capable hands around the house. Billy quickly agreed after that. It would be another two weeks before Billy was able to properly help Mr. O’Connor with the work load.

* * *

 

Before long a month had passed and summer was nearly coming to an end. One day when Abigail returned from one of her walks she found Billy standing at the top of the small hill that allowed him a good view of the green pastures that made up her backyard. She could see that he was deep in thought from the furrow of his brows and the frown upon his face. The moment that he noticed Abigail, his face changed instantly and the frown was replaced with a smile.

“Good walk?”

“Oh yes,” she smiled back at him.

Billy smirked and amusement shone in his eyes.

“What?”

“You,” he motioned up and down with his hand. “I never thought that I would see you with an inch of mud upon your dress.”

Abigail looked down at herself, the bottom of her dress was caked in mud and pieces of her hair had slipped loose from her braid and framed her face. “Yes, I do look like a mad woman don’t I?”

He flushed and shook his head. “I didn’t mean to offend.”

“You didn’t, Billy,” she said. “I once had the same thought long ago.”

Billy looked away from her and back out to the land. She could see him clench and unclench his jaw, trying to think of the right thing to say. So much was to be said between them, both had so many questions for the other. Both were wondering what events had changed them so, how life had left them scarred.

“You have a decent amount of land here,” Billy nodded his head out to the sea of green.

“Yes,” Abigail agreed as she stood beside him taking in the landscape. “I’ve walked quite a bit but there is still some of my land that I haven’t seen. Mr. O’Connor said that there’s plenty of places to bury bodies, if the need arises.”

Billy snorted. “He told me the same thing.” He looked down at her. “Has the need to bury bodies does he?”

“Mr. O’Connor is quite the character,” she smiled.

“Yes, I’ve gathered.” He looked away from her. “He would have fit right in with the crew.”

Abigail looked up at him and noticed that once again his face held that faraway look. She glanced back at the house and then back at him. She may come to regret it but Abigail decided it was worth a try to get him to talk.

“I heard about Charles Vane.” She didn’t know why she thought that would be a good opener and when Billy’s head whirled in her direction and he stared down at her intently, she regretted it immediately. “I… forgive me. I just…,” she shook her head, “I’m sorry.”

Oh, this was a disaster.

Billy had said nothing and Abigail took a deep breath and looked up at him. “What I meant to say is that I’m sorry about his passing.”

“Sorry?” His voice was soft and his face held a look of confusion.

“Yes,” she nodded. “Charles Vane was a pirate and he held me hostage but I was grateful for it because he killed Ned Low.” She could still remember the looks from his crew and the promises they made to her about what they would do. She shuddered as she remembered how Low would just stare at her.

“Thank you,” Billy said. “He was a good man as far as pirates go.”

“I’m not naïve to think that you would tell me all the facts about your life up to this point but I want you to know that I’m here,” she stared at him in earnest, “if you needed to talk.”

Billy shook his head and sighed as his shoulders slumped. “If I talked about all that I had done up to this point, I think you’d be rid of me.” He looked down at her. “You would rethink what you wrote in that diary of yours.”

She let out a soft laugh, “I had an inkling that it was you.” She looked up at him. “I’m not mad.”

Another moment of silence fell between them and she was nervous about what Billy would think. Was he annoyed with her? Was she wrong to have said what she did?

“Helen is right, Abigail,” he turned his body toward her and she could see the pain upon his face. “I’m not a good man. I’ve done unthinkable things for something that I believed in. A cause that I still believe in and what’s worse,” he shook his head, “if I had a chance to go back and redo things, I would make the same decisions.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re a bad man, Billy.”

Billy scoffed, “No? Than what does that make me?”

“Human,” Abigail answered quickly.

Billy looked down at her in surprise. She was rather surprised with herself but she did not look away from him. She needed him to know that she did not and would not ever think he was a bad man. She may not understand pirates completely but she understood the consequences of society.

“I will never judge you for your past decisions, Billy,” Abigail began to explain. “I don’t have the right to do so but none the less I would never judge. We’ve all made decisions that we’re not proud of, myself included, and that’s a part of human nature. Ned Low was evil, my late husband was,” Billy’s eyes focused in on her and her cheeks flushed as she looked down, “he was a bad man. Even my father…” she shook her head and looked back up at him. “I don’t place you anywhere near those men. I know that time has passed and that neither of us are the same people we once were but I trust you and you are and always will be welcome in my house.”

She had never been more nervous in her life nor could she believe that she had said all of that. How could she tell him that her feelings toward him had only strengthened over time? She didn’t even know what his feelings for were.

“You’ve changed.”

“Life tends to do that to people,” Abigail said.

“Yes,” he agreed, “it does.”

* * *

 

Something had shifted between them after their brief conversation. Although not much was said between either of them, it was all that was left unsaid that was important. She would steal glances Billy’s way when he was busy and she could feel him do the same; she had even caught him a few times. Abigail was always the one to look away first but inside butterflies were fluttering in her stomach.

“And then she dumped a whole bucket of cold water on me head,” Mr. O’Connor’s voice floated out of Billy’s bedroom.

It was late into the night and Helen had already retired for the night. She was just finishing getting ready for bed herself when she heard the loud merry laughs coming from Billy’s room. Mr. O’Connor and Billy had gotten along almost immediately; it was as though they had been friends for years. Abigail believed that Billy confided in Mr. O’Connor about his past and she was relieved for it. Although he wouldn’t talk to her, she was happy that he had someone to talk to.

When Abigail appeared in the doorway she was surprised and amused to find both Mr. O’Connor and Billy on the floor. Their backs were to the wall, a bottle of ale between the two of them, their legs sprawled out across the floor and wide smiles upon both their faces. She had to smile at the sight and it warmed her heart to see Billy’s eyes crinkling at the corners from smiling so wide.

“Isn’t that true ma’am?” Mr. O’Connor smiled at her as Billy looked up, surprised to see her standing in the doorway. Abigail flushed under his stare when she realized she was wearing her nightgown with only a throw wrapped around her shoulders and her hair half down.

“Which time are you referring to, Mr. O’Connor?” Abigail teased.

Both of the men laughed and Mr. O’Connor held up the bottle to her after he took a healthy swig, “would you like some ale, ma’am?”

“No, thank you Mr. O’Connor,” she smiled at him as she shared an amused look with Billy. “I appreciate the offer though.”

Mr. O’Connor nodded and took another swig before he passed the bottle to Billy. “I’d always share a drink with ya, ma’am.”

How much ale had he had tonight, she wondered?

“Mr. O’Connor was just telling me about how Helen is a witch,” Billy smirked.

“You jest,” The older man turned his head to him, “but she really is a witch. I swear on me ma’s grave she is.”

Abigail smiled and shook her head as Billy laughed.

“Well, I’ll be on my way then,” Mr. O’Connor nodded at Billy and then made his way, with some assistance, to his feet. “I’ll leave you both to it then.” He gave a slight bow as he passed Abigail, “ma’am.”

“Get some sleep, Mr. O’Connor,” she told him and looked over to Billy.

He smiled up at her, “oh yeah, he would have loved Nassau.” Abigail nodded as she laughed. “I hope we didn’t disturb you.”

“No, not at all,” she moved into the room and took Mr. O’Connor’s place on the floor. “I rather enjoyed hearing the laughter. Especially yours.” She hadn’t meant to say that last part.

Billy smiled and took a sip from the bottle before he placed it down. Silence fell upon them but it was filled with tension. Abigail had dropped her arm to her side and she noticed how close their hands were to each other. Instantly Abigail’s body began to warm up and willed herself to shake away the thoughts that had come to her mind. She focused on the candles that were burning on the table.

“Abigail,” Billy’s voice broke the silence and his fingers brushed against hers.

_Lord give me strength._ “Yes Billy?”

“May I kiss you?”

She swore her heart stopped. She swallowed and turned her head away from the candles to him, “you may.”

Billy brought his left hand up and brushed a piece of stray hair away from her face before he cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb against her skin. That action along with his heated stare was more than enough to make her come undone. She reached up and wrapped her fingers around his wrist. Billy leaned in, remaining eye contact until he was a breath away from her. He glanced down at her lips before back at her. His lips brushed against her own and her eyes slipped closed. His beard brushed against her skin but she did not care. He pulled away for a moment to glance at her before Abigail leaned in and kissed him. This time the kiss was more heated and he tangled her fingers into her hair as her lips parted and his tongue slipped past.

Abigail had never felt the way she did before this moment. Her husband had never made her body feel this way, _never._

When they pulled away, Billy pressed his forehead against her own, and both were breathing heavily. Abigail was on fire and she wanted his lips on every inch of her skin. By the look he was giving her she believed that he shared a similar thought.

“Would it be so bold of me to assume that you want me to close the door?”

“No,” Abigail sighed. “Not in the slightest.”

It was all a bit of a blur for her, moving from the floor to the bed and she can’t really remember much after Billy had closed the door and made his way quickly back to her and pulled her into his arms. She was overcome by numerous sensations when he lifted her up off the floor and carried her to the bed, never once removing his mouth from hers. Billy was quick to remove her nightgown and she all but ripped his shirt from him. Abigail couldn’t stop touching him. She ran her hands down the side of his neck, across his chest, her fingertips tracing every scar along the way. She wanted to know his body and her eyes slipped closed as he pressed his lips to every inch of her skin. When he bit and sucked at the juncture of her shoulder, Abigail moaned and tilted her head back, her fingers tugged at his hair.

* * *

 

Sometime later when they both laid beside one another, their bottom halves covered by a sheet, Abigail thought about how talented of a lover Billy was. Her husband had never made love to her quite as passionately as he did, nor did he do it for as long. Billy’s fingers ran up and down her arm and she laid with her head upon his chest getting lost in the sound of his heartbeat.

“You alright?”

“Yes.” She pressed a kiss to his chest and moved so that she was able to look up at him. “More than alright.”

Billy smiled and pressed another hard kiss to her lips, “good.”

She laid her head back on his chest, “I had never felt that way before. I had never been made love to in _that_ way before.”

Billy’s fingers stilled, “your husband was forceful?”

“Not in that way, not really,” she said as she squeezed her arm tighter around his waist “We didn’t marry for love. I never felt for him the way I feel for you. He never made me feel the way that you do.” Abigail sighed, “Charles saved his passion for his mistresses.”

Billy’s hold tightened on her and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“It was the reason why he purchased this manor,” Abigail said. “He purchased it so that he could bring his mistresses to the house in London. Everyone knew about them; he didn’t try to keep them a secret. Every time we went to a social event together, I heard the whispers about his latest affair. I felt the stares.”

“You deserved better,” he whispered.

“It wasn’t all bad,” Abigail said. “I did not mind being here at all. This manor was my escape from the confides of London. I was closer to the ocean. Mr. O’Connor travels with me to Eastbourne when I want to visit the ocean. Charles never came with me.”

“I’d think you’d never want to be anywhere near the ocean again,” Billy ran his fingers up the column of her neck before he resumed running them up and down her arm.

“I did too, I admit,” she replied. “I found comfort at the ocean though. Comfort that I couldn’t find anywhere else. I found joy,” she took a deep breath and whispered, “I was at the ocean when I first felt my child move inside me.”

She felt the sharp intake of his breath as his fingers gripped her arm, “ _your child_?”

“A daughter, Miranda.” She felt a tear roll down her cheek and she burrowed herself further against him; she wanted to be inside him. “A fever took her several years ago when she was a year old. On my daily walks, I stop at her grave and visit with her.”

Billy wrapped both of his arms around her and pressed several kisses to her forehead. Abigail allowed the tears to fall and swam in the safety that he provided.

“I am so sorry, Abigail,” he whispered. “I am so sorry.”

“I know lost too, Billy,” she said. “There were times when I thought that I would give in and allow my demons to drag me to the grave but I didn’t. Helen and Mr. O’Connor have been the only family that I’ve had.”

“You have me now.” Abigail looked up at him and he titled his head down and cupped her cheek gently, “if you’ll have me.”

She stared at him speechless. Was she hearing him correctly? Did she really have Billy Bones’ heart?

“You would marry me?”

“I would.”

“You would live here at the manor,” she asked. “You would make a home here with me?”

“Yes,” he answered and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“That would be enough for you?”

“You are enough for me, Abigail,” he cupped her face with both of his hands, “will you marry me?”

Abigail smiled, “yes, William Manderly, I will.”

As they made love once again, Abigail knew that they would both be able to find the peace that were both searching for. She had found her heart when she thought it had long since been broken. She was happy.

Billy slept all through the night without incident and Abigail was awoken with tender kisses and his smile.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. :)


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